Shinobi's Blessing
by Crossed from another world
Summary: The real life of being a Shinobi. Naruto must endure betrayal, heartbreaks, everything to earn the gift of a Shinobi's blessing. Does he have what it takes, or will he crumble beneath the pressure? Find out in this darkening, alternate shinobi world.


**Chapter 1: Are you ready to give up…friends?**

It was difficult. I didn't know what to expect. The sweat from my forehead drops to the floor, kneeling, I could feel tiny rocks pressing against my skin. It hurts. It hurts so bad. There was one thing I wanted to do. Run. I wanted to get out of here but I knew what happens to boys who escape boot camp. They get hunted down and are made to an example. I remember one time when they cut a kids arm and fed it to him, but they weren't done. With every victim, they would slice open his eyelids so that in the afterlife. He would remain awake forever, and never feel eternal sleep.

The people around me. One by one they would disappear. Until there was ten of us but it never stops there. Because there could only be one survivor. This is what it means to be a ninja. The difficult skills we obtained to ensure complete death to our enemies. This is a blessing. The thoughts of my teacher still linger in my mind.

"The shinobi's blessing. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a shinobi. It is above all else. Friends, family, pride and your life are worthless compared to the blessing. Whenever a shinobi is born, it has overcome hell. He will learn his blessing and with his specialty, use it to kill and only to kill. You stay your sword my young children and look around you. For you may kill the brethren around you at any given moment. All you need for a reason is a paper covered in ink."

Paper covered in ink. It means money. This is what shinobi's accept for the exchange of someone's life. It is the second reason we kill without emotion. The first reason is ultimately decided upon the shinobi. Some may kill for joy, some may kill for pride, some may kill just because they can. I kill because I have to.

The sun brightens and pushes it's rays, bothering my sleep. I was only half asleep. Rest is important to a shinobi, without this basic tool I cannot kill my prey one hundred percent. If I can't kill my prey at my full strength I would have died ages ago. My eyes open to meet my room. It was a 1x1 and never comfortable. People would brag that suffering takes time to get used to but to me; you never get used to it. There is a small, barred window that emits light. The bars merely mock me every day. I could easily break out since steal is easy to bend.

Giving up on the idea, I left outside. My clothes naturally on and rarely ever dirty slides beneath me. It never touches the ground since my chakra is always lifting it up. I don't do this to look cool. I do this as a defense mechanism. It trains me constantly and keeps me at alert. If I can keep my chakra level at a decent rate throughout the whole day I can never be sneak attacked.

I look to my left and notice another had opened. It's a rule to never close your door after leaving it. This makes it easier for other shinobi's to place traps, a sad attempt at ending someones life.

"Hm, so another is awake. I wonder who it is." I find a shadow sneaking about, "Is that you Sasuke?"

There is a quiet snicker, "So you knew it was me. I wonder how…"

"Easy. You've slept at the same place for years. It only takes an idiot to realize that you left your room."

"Thats what you'll like to think." Sasuke replied, walking out from the shadows. His jet black attire made it easy for him to sneak about. He had his arms crossed, a sly smile on his face, "You really think I'm the only awake? It seems you have much to learn."

One of my brows raise curiously, "What do you mean?"

He didn't answer, instead, he wanted to show me. He walked to a ordinary closed door and breathed heavily. Both of his legs set apart, front knee slightly bent forward. His arms mimic the same movements and with a small sigh. He hits the door, and a purple sign appears, formed from the Jewish star. It is a common star for common spells.

"Oh you meant that trick." I replied sarcastically.

"Stupid, don't act like you know. It seems sensei is right. You have the most talent yet at the same time your observation skills are less than mediocre." He sighs, "Whatever. I don't have time giving lectures when I could be late to my own. See ya, Naruto."

"I guess so." I waved before he left. I always knew about the Jewish star but I did lie. I just wanted to see his moves again. Even in such a late stage of the shinobi training, he has yet to show his full potential. Even if his skill is great, his ability to judge a person's character is sub par. When we were children. We didn't always try to kill each other.

Sasuke and I would always go on adventures, even if the boundaries stretched to the walls of this prison. We had a special rule: If you get caught, don't tell. It didn't take long for cruel fate's cold fingers to touch us. It happened a day of hide and seek. I was determined to win the round so I easily slipped through the loose security. If only I knew why it was so easy.

When I exit the building I saw the color of green, everywhere. The land of leaves, trees, rocks, every life form I could possibly imagine right in front of my eyes. As a child, my eyes would gleam at such a opportunity. However, it was my spirit that guided through the biggest mistake of my life. Before my bare feet could touch the grass I so heavily yearned for, I was met with a sharp chop to my neck.

I couldn't feel a thing. My vision was clear. I wasn't unconscious, but I lost all sense of feeling and movement. I could see my body lifted into the air, with such ease. My head was moving in an awkward way, as if dangling. And thats when I knew. My head was cleanly broken into two. After a few minutes of dragging, part of my senses returned and I could hear the man speaking.

"You mustn't leave. Master wouldn't like that. You understand right?" his voice, panicky, "I'm only doing my job. I'm sorry I killed you. I didn't mean to hit so hard. But you were disobeying master. He would've killed you! Yes…I did good. Wait. Are you still breathing?" He tossed me to the side, like a rag doll he wasn't interested in. I still couldn't move, and my head, still in a impossible angle.

"Hm…? You must be like us. You're special." He walked over to me. I have never been frightened of footsteps as I was. His big hand covered my head, each palm holding one side as he adjusted the angle. And with crackling sound. He snaps my neck back to normal, "Your nerves are being revived merely from your chakra. But you're just a young boy…"

I wanted to know more, but I wasn't allowed to. Only after seconds did the pain spread. My eyes shot open and I screamed, I cried. I did anything to ease my pain. I could feel my nerves burning into each other, and my bones griding to make a fit. I was scared. The man in front of me had a black mask, with rings along the eyes and mouth. He was big, fat but looked like a bulldozer. Even with the mask, I could still see his eyes. He didn't take a liking to my screams. Since he immediately smothered me with his great, big hands.

My desperate screams for help was futile. He had his belly pressed against my mouth. And even though my bones and nerves reunited. My esophagus was punctured. If I made any sound, it was from my nails, tearing through the ground trying anything to break free. The man had tears sliding down his face, repeating the same words over and over, "Don't make noise. Master will be mad. Don't make noise. Master will be mad. Don't make noise!"

He wasn't bright. My 'noise' could barely bother a fly. But he looked scared and through sheer strength. Lifts me into the air, bashing my head through the thick concrete. Trying to get me to 'shut up'. There was light groans from him, frightened groans, and the blood splatting against every inch of the room. I always wondered why I didn't die.

After finally passing out. I woke up in the hospital. I was told from the nurses that my sensei found me, beaten to a pulp and left for dead. As usual, my wounds healed. But there was a nasty gash near my forehead. It was a scar that forever reminded me to never leave again.

When I was released from the hospital, I found Sasuke at the same place he was before. The place where he was counting. He looked like he never left since the incident, "Sasuke?" I looked at him, confused slightly. Sasuke merely swung his feet from the tall chair, humming a sound to himself.

"Naruto…?" He looked at me, there was fear in his eyes, but a smile soon replaced it, "You're still alive? I was sure Gunja would've finished you."

"Finished me?" I didn't like the sound of it. His smile grew wider and wider, "Looks like if you want someone killed, you must do it yourself." He jumped off his high seat and walked passed me. I wasn't shock. This is how it is.

This is what it takes to earn the Shinobi's Blessing.

R/R


End file.
